Got greedy and got burned

[randazzo1]

Went out Saturday morning to hit what are probably the last of the garage sales in my areas (until Spring) and a few estate sales. The third or fourth garage sale was in an adult community in NJ. The sale operator was a youngish guy, maybe 30 so I figured it was his parents place.

He was unloading jewelry from a large Tupperware like the ones that go under the bed. He’d put out several sterling items already. He was asking $5-$10 or so for each. I picked a few and he said “make me an offer on the whole box?”. There were other people and I didn’t want to miss out and I wasn’t thinking straight so I just said “ $200?”

He shook my hand, pushed the sterling in the box and handed it to me and I paid him. It happened in like 2 minutes all together. Got back to the car and other than the Sterling pieces I already saw and a single gold earring it was total garbage. There was even junk like clothes pins and those wire things for xmad ornaments. Not even stuff I could sell by the piece at a garage sale.

Very disappointed.

 

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[SnakemanBill]

OUCH!! thats gonna leave a mark!

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Sorry to here!

 

[Johnnybravo300]

That's one of our "deals" we don't disclose with the wife hehe.

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Reminds me of the time I found the killer deal on barber quarters and realized when I got home they were damn v nickels.
Good thing I only bought 5, could have been a disaster! That's 10 bucks I try not to think about.

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Just be happy you never bought a bitcoin!

 

[A2coins]

Could have gone either way! Next time my friend!!!!!

 

[Beachkid23]

Your not alone. Saw a gold ring. Offered $200 for everything. The rest was junk! It was about 4 gr of 14k.

Heck, worst one was a collection of “RARE” David Yurman jewelry. Shelled out $3k for about 15 pieces. Ended up about $600- It still hurts.

 

[basssmann]

randazzo1, Yeah, we have all been burnt.... I started buying gold on the side.... Pd over $800 for about 8 pcs of gold marked Made in Italy 14K... sent it to my place in Florida figured I should get $1300 for the weight of it.... Not...… Tested as 14 plate, made in Mexico junk.... Bought a test kit the next day....

 

[Shakakka]

Reminds me of the time I found the killer deal on barber quarters and realized when I got home they were damn v nickels.
Good thing I only bought 5, could have been a disaster! That's 10 bucks I try not to think about.

Don't take this the wrong way, but were you wearing your glasses?

 

[tamrock]

I know the feeling. Now days I've reeled myself in some and give potential purchases a little time before I jump like I did in the past. I even see things that could make a profit, but a voice inside me says, let someone else have this one, as you got a lot of cool stuff already. It's strange, but something better seems to eventually come around by not being so eager to get it all and in the end I feel I've obtained much more valuable things.

 

[randazzo1]

Your not alone. Saw a gold ring. Offered $200 for everything. The rest was junk! It was about 4 gr of 14k.

Heck, worst one was a collection of “RARE” David Yurman jewelry. Shelled out $3k for about 15 pieces. Ended up about $600- It still hurts.

I had this w a yurman recently. It was a really nice 32” long sterling, 18k and pearl necklace. Original retail was something like $4k. I listed it at $1400 and kept lowering the price. Eventually took an offer at $560. For what I paid, it’s a fantastic profit and I’m happy, but ilI thought I hit serious pay dirt on that one. Apparently the Yurman pieces don’t retain value very well. I estimate the 18k parts would have scrapped at about $300 by themselves - so not a whole lot over melt value.

 

[niffler]

Kind of takes the fun out of it, sorry to hear about that one. Luckily for me (I guess), I am a cheapskate so I never pay much of anything if I can help it . The unmarked gold that I have seen t-netters come up with has me taking some chances though, and I have re-donated thrift store, auction, and yard sale "treasures" many times. Gotta have faith that your next great score will make you forget all about the last screw up.

 

[JimDon]

Buy cheap and sell high! I don’t have the stomach to shell out the cash you guys seem to do.

 

[artslinger]

True story, I live in Florida, and my brother in California. I spotted a Rolex and I made an offer. I got in touch with my brother, and I asked him to go and look at it for me. I gave him instructions as to what to look for. He's never done this before, so of course he was nervous. I had seen pctures of the watch, and it definitely looked real. The seller even had a certificate of authenticity. I transfer the money to y my brother, and I set up the meeting. One of the last things I told him was, make sure that it's a sweeping hand movement and not a quartz movement. Feel for weight and markings. well, five minutes after the deal, I called him and he starts to tell me about the watch. He bought it. He tells me that the certificate does not say Yatchmaster, or has any serial number, and to my amazement and disbelief, he floors me when he tells me that the Rolex tics.

I confirmed many times, does it tic then pause, then tic again, and pause, agian? I then realized what he had bought, a fake replica of a replica, a flea market Rolex. The poor guy felt horrible, and I stayed calm because it was my fault all around. I did not blame him, but myself. He is an intelligent guy, but he had been taken, and so was I for that matter. the little mistake cost me $500 cash.

Two days later the dude calls me, and he tells me that he went to play bingo and won $1,500.00. He called me because he wants to send me the $500 that he foolishly gave to someone as a good Samaritan. Again I'm in disbelief, and I question his motives. I don't believe a word he is telling me about winning. I explained to him that it was my mistake, and that I don't blame him or want his money. I let him know that I feel that he is trying to pay me back but with his hard earned money. He tells me that he'll prove it me, and to my disbelief, once again, in come pictures via his cel of the winning bingo tickets and amounts. The dude has a great heart, but I still refuse him wanting to pay me back. In the end we both rationalized his winning. I ended up with my $500 back, a geat and invaluable lessen, and my brother with a $1,000 profit. True story.